17. It is the same with faith. If faith does nothing, then that faith is dead, because it is alone.
18. Someone might say, “You have faith, but I do things. Show me your faith! Your faith does nothing. I will show you my faith by the things I do.”
19. You believe there is one God. Good! But the demons believe that, too! And they shake with fear.
20. You foolish person! Must you be shown that faith that does nothing is worth nothing?
21. Abraham is our father. He was made right with God by the things he did. He offered his son Isaac to God on the altar.
22. So you see that Abraham’s faith and the things he did worked together. His faith was made perfect by what he did.
23. This shows the full meaning of the Scripture that says: “Abraham believed God, and God accepted Abraham’s faith, and that faith made him right with God.” And Abraham was called “God’s friend.”
24. So you see that a person is made right with God by the things he does. He cannot be made right by faith only.
25. Another example is Rahab, who was a prostitute. But she was made right with God by something she did: She helped the spies for God’s people. She welcomed them into her home and helped them escape by a different road.
26. A person’s body that does not have a spirit is dead. It is the same with faith. Faith that does nothing is dead!